This book was so, so relatable! Fiona Gibson writes in a brilliant way about feelings and emotions.

Sure, there were moments that I felt annoyed with the main character, Carly, as she felt so weak towards her son and husband, but on the other hand this is the way we, mothers, are, right? You can be so, so angry with your children, but you still call them "love" and "honey" and you can be so, so angry with your husband, but you know that marriage is one huge compromise and you simply give up. That's the way it works. And this is also why this book works so well, I think - the way Fiona Gibson managed to capture all the characters, making them feel so real and human, is really great.

So it's funny, but it's also down to earth and you really care about the characters, even though they are going to annoy it - but that's the great way of the author of describing them in such a way. It's a story that will pull you in, will make you roll your eyes at the characters' antics and nod with agrrement and understanding.

This book gives you an insightful and humorous look into different family dynamics and relationships. Through the different points of view it gives you a great look at how different situations could be seen through different eyes - interesting! And now I'm not so sure if I'm really looking forward to my own "empty nest"...

The Full Nest by Fiona Gibson hits the mark, telling the tale of a couple who should be empty nesters, but keep getting thwarted by family.
In case anyone thinks the kinds of things that happen in this book can't possibly happen in real life, let me tell you that they definitely do. I related to this book so much that reading it was almost uncomfortable. It perhaps hit too close to home for me.
Those still raising kids might want to read this book as a cautionary tale.
Regardless, the book is well-written and compelling, as readers have come to expect of Gibson.
Thank you for the ARC of #TheFullNest to #NetGalley.

I love Fiona Gibson's books & this one did not disappoint. Full of great characters & an engaging story line. Told from different perspectives that made this story so enjoyable.

This is the first Fiona Gibson novel I have had the pleasure of reading, and what a great writer she is! Her easy, streamlined narrative makes this such an enjoyable read. For me, what the author excelled at in the story is just the pure familial relatability, which this has in bucketloads. It's a steady read, with no real pointless drama and no irritable one-note villain (thank goodness!) which makes it such a comfy experience. All the characters are dynamic, specifically the three children, but I feel like Frank, the husband, could've had "more" about him, and his arc confused me a little. Carly, our main point of view who is the mom of the family, also needed a little more depth (I really did enjoy her overbearingness!) but there needed to be a bit more of an emotional arc for her. If anything, it feels like Frank and Carly's third act should've been swapped. But for what it is, this is such a well-done book!

Great read for curling up on the sofa with. As someone who has an empty nest, you do wonder if they will turn into boomerangs and keep reappearing when you thought you are on to your next chapter. The various situations which occur are the more extreme of why they may come back and hopefully not one I’ll encounter!

Enjoyed

Fiona Gibson is the queen of relatable comedies and she's done it again.

Carly and Frank have three grown up children who have already flown the nest, and are looking forward to being just the two of them. But life has a funny way of working out, and before long, Carly's ill Kenny moves in with them. Eddie, their eldest son is also struggling, having recently moved to Edinburgh, and a host of problems seem to land at Carly's feet.

I really enjoyed this book, there were parts I could have written myself. Perfect for us peri-menopausal ladies who are squeezed between children on the cusp of leaving home, whilst caring for parents as they get older.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A very readable and relatable tale set in a quiet seaside town in Scotland. Good development of characters, particularly the main character Carly who is a bit of a doormat but, as so many of us end up, are there for our families. Carly does seem to put up with a lot from her cantankerous father at one end of the family and her total nightmare of a son Eddie at the other., leaving Carly and her husband Frank struggling. The story is told from a few of the family voices but mainly Carly's. A touch of humour throughout plus a heartwarming feel make this book an easy light read overall.

Carly and her husband Frank are happy to see their son leave home and begin to work. They have brought up their family of three children, and Carly is more than ready to explore the opportunities that arise now they are empty nesters.

However, things don’t go to plan when problems arise with Carly’s dad Kenny. An irascible old man who always thinks he knows best, becoming ill and moving in with Carly and Eddie.

Written in a friendly, heartwarming way, this is a humorous book which I thoroughly enjoyed. With vivid descriptions, Fiona Gibson brings her characters alive and you feel that you know them. I felt empathy for Carly who is helpful and lovingly trying to support Eddie while her husband isn’t being as helpful.

Character driven, the story is about families, relationships and how they work things out, with lots of humour. I enjoyed reading about the characters so much, all with their different stories, it would be great to see them turn up in other books.

This was a great read, full of laughs and comfort. Definitely a heart warming read, and I'd be keen to read more from Fiona Gibson. The characters all felt human - which is particularly tricky with so many different family members! and the story line felt like a very real situation that could happen to any family, leaving a very slice-of-life feeling.

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this novel.

Are you ready for a good laugh? Check out The Full Nest by Fiona Gibson. I couldn’t put it down.A five star read.

this was such a good book!! I love the big family all together, it reminds me of all the memories I have with my own big family. I liked the themes of love, growth, family, relationships, and growth together that this book had. It was so entertaining and it kept me engaged!!

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This story takes place across a year. Carly's three children have now all left home, so now is the time for her and her husband Frank to reclaim their lives - or so they think!

Fiona Gibson writes in a very entertaining and amusing style, very easy to read with incredibly relatable characters. I felt for Carly (her eldest child was VERY relatable!), and could understand Frank's feelings. It definitely made me think about how situations could be understood differently by different people, and how important talking actually is!

An emotive, quick read.

In their early fifties, Carly and her Portuguese mechanic partner Frank are looking forward to some 'me-time,' and when their son Eddie finally shucks off his brown dressing gown and goes to work in Edinburgh as a kitchen porter, they think they've found it. However, it's not long before they're opening their house again to more and more people, including Carly's elderly Dad, who has an unfortunate run-in with a tin of expired pilchards.

Soon, Cathy is having to hold lock-ins in her library workplace and Frank is sleeping in his old food truck just to try and get a bit of perspective on the situation. I admired how Carly was always there for her family, though she could have been tougher with them at times, and felt a little like her two daughters got short shrift in favour of the needier Eddie, and I wasn't invested in a potential romance plot for Carly with a new man, Oliver, but they all got there in the end, of course.

I found this easier to read and warmer than Fiona Gibson's most recent book 'The Woman Who Ran Away from Everything,' - I don't know what that shows, maybe that sometimes staying is funnier than going, or at any rate more realistic and easy to relate to. My thanks to Avon and NetGalley for the DRC!

Carly is a woman who goes everything for her family- a bit of a doormat even!! The reader follows Carly as she navigates an empty nest becoming full again

Carly and Frank, at last, have an empty nest- their youngest child Eddie has l eft home. Time for themselves and a holiday in Paris. But all is not well when they return home as their Nest gradually refills. Some laugh out loud moments, some sad moments- ,true to life - do we ever "get rid" of our children?

What a lovely fluffy read, an ideal read cuddled up on the sofa in winter, or in the garden or on the beach in the summer, loved the charecters and loved the story

Fiona Gibson's books explore family life in a light hearted way, particularly the impacts on women who often have to pick up the pieces when things fall apart. Carly, nearly fifty, has loved raising her children with Portuguese-born partner Frank, but is nevertheless looking forward to the day when they can have some time to themselves. Only twenty-two year old Eddie is still left at home in their Scottish seaside town, both his sisters having flown the nest, and he's showing no signs of leaving, spending most of his days lying around in a ratty old dressing gown - until he suddenly does, heading off to Edinburgh with a flat-share and a job lined up.

Carly's longed-for empty nest doesn't last long, though. First Eddie gets himself into - to put it mildly - a bit of a scrape. Then there's her cantankerous elderly father, Kenny, who won't listen to anyone's advice. It's all getting a bit much...

I'll admit the story didn't quite go where I was expecting, particularly regarding the Eddie storyline. (Maybe I just have a suspicious mind, but I felt somebody was up to something.) But like all Fiona's books, it's a highly engaging read.

Gibson’s talent for capturing the messy, sometimes frustrating, but always love-filled reality of family life shines through. The humor is sharp, the characters are endearing, and the emotional moments sneak up on you when you least expect it.
But what makes this book truly delightful is its balance of comedy and heartfelt moments. The chaos that unfolds in Carly’s home might drive her to the edge, but it also highlights the beautiful messiness of love, loyalty, and sacrifice. As she navigates the delicate balance between wanting to reclaim her independence and doing what’s best for her family, The Full Nest delivers a story that’s both uproarious and deeply touching.

Another great story from Fiona Gibson. We meet Carly and Frank, who are navigating a new stage in their lives as their youngest child Eddie leaves home.

However, being empty nesters is not as straightforward and freeing as they thought. Carly's elderly and cantakerous father Kenny is increasingly struggling to cope by himself. 22 year old Eddie finds that moving out requires a lot more responsibility than he realises and he has to grownup fast. One of their daughters is also struggling with adapting to the demands of a high-flying life in London, after growing up in a sleepy seaside town . To make matters worse there seems to be cracks in Carly and Frank's relationship...

The Full Nest has relatable characters and topics that will resonate with lots of readers. Another fab book for 2025!

The Full Nest by Fiona Gibson is a heartfelt and humorous exploration of the complexities that arise when the family dynamic shifts, particularly when children grow up and leave the home. Carly, a mother of three, has long dreamed of the freedom that would come with the “empty nest.” Alongside her husband, Frank, she fantasises about quieter meals, fewer interruptions, and holidays focused on culture rather than kids’ clubs. However, Carly’s vision of peace and tranquillity is soon disrupted when her elderly father moves in “temporarily” for extra support. As if that wasn’t enough, Carly’s adult son, Eddie, has become far too comfortable in the family home, seemingly uninterested in moving out or seeking a job, enjoying the comforts of home life without the usual responsibilities.

Just when Carly’s patience is wearing thin, Eddie drops a bombshell that threatens to turn her already precarious world upside down. As her family expands in unexpected ways, Carly finds herself facing new challenges, navigating the delicate balance of caring for elderly parents, adult children, and the demands of her marriage—all while trying to maintain her own sense of self.

Gibson provides a keenly insightful look into the different stages of family life, capturing the tension and tenderness of adjusting to changing roles as children grow older, and the impact this has on relationships within the home. The novel addresses the phenomenon of empty nest syndrome, the struggles of menopause, and the relentless demands of modern life, yet it is infused with wit and realism. Through Carly’s journey, the book presents a raw, unfiltered portrayal of the emotional turmoil many women experience when pulled in multiple directions. The Full Nest is a brilliantly relatable and deeply moving read, filled with moments of humour and heart that will resonate with anyone navigating similar life stages.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.